Pod Insights Crime, Conspiracy, Cults and Murder Ep. 92 | He HUNTED Them In The Woods | Gary Michael Hilton About this episode In the quiet of national parks, Gary Michael Hilton found the perfect place to disappear people. A trail of murders across remote wilderness reveals how easily evil can hide in plain sight.
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Transcript 0:01 Speaker 00 Into the wild. The Cartier Panther encounters a shimmering crocodile, a lonely lovebird, a breathless zebra, and a restless tiger.
0:15 Speaker 01 Welcome to the 50th Hunger Games!
0:17 Speaker 02 Witness the beginning of the revolution.
0:20 Speaker 01 Hey Mitch, you've been trying to take down these games from the start.
0:23 Speaker 02 Filmed for IMAX.
0:24 Speaker 01 Make them remember you.
0:26 Speaker 02 The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, November 20th, rated PG-13.
0:30 Speaker 03 Some killers burst into the public eye, others take their time. This story didn't start with flashy headlines or man hunts, but instead, it began years earlier, born of instability and life lived on the fringes. And by the time anyone realized what was going on, it was too late. The damage had been done, and people disappeared from places meant to be peaceful getaways. Wooded trails meant for connection and reflection became scenes of horrific violence, begging the question, who was out there, and how many more would he claim? This is Gary Michael Hilton. Crime, conspiracy, cults, serial killers, and murder, all things that I love to consume
1:13 Speaker 03 and I know you do too, you sick, twisted, beautiful, intellectually-minded freak. And today, we are diving into a lesser-known but very infamous serial killer. So without further ado, let's unbuckle our seatbelts, go mark five down the highway, slam on the brakes, and bust through this windshield into this national forest serial killer together.
1:48 Speaker 00 In deepest jungle, Cartier's Panther spies a wandering bird that circles the skies. A lovebird, lost and missing his mate, is far from his past, in lonely state. Dry your tears, now there's a start. Follow my steps to heal your heart. Panther stalks through the leaves with silent grace. Through the power of scent, she finds the trace. Behold, two lovers reunite in the skies. A most precious thrill sparkling in their eyes. Together forever, they shine each day, bound by the beauty of Cartier.
2:32 Speaker 01 Welcome to the 50th Hunger Games.
2:34 Speaker 02 Witness the beginning of the revolution.
2:36 Speaker 01 Hey Mitch, you've been trying to take down these games from the start.
2:39 Speaker 02 Film for IMAX.
2:40 Speaker 01 Make them remember you.
2:43 Speaker 02 The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, November 20th, made in PG-13.
2:47 Speaker 03 Gary Michael Hilton was born in Atlanta, Georgia on November 22nd, 1946. And he was an only child. First red flag, I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding. And his parents divorced while he was very young. And his biological father had a military background and was mostly absent from Gary's life, eventually starting another family. And his mother, Cleo, remarried a man named Nilo DeBog. So with his real dad out of the picture, Hilton was left under the authority of a stepdad who would be a central figure in his childhood trauma. Now Gary's home life was horrible. And as later described by psychiatrists who evaluate him, his stepfather was emotionally
3:30 Speaker 03 abusive, directing his anger towards both Gary and his mother. Because he required perfection and told Gary that he should quit school and join the workforce as he did when he was a kid. And at one point, his stepfather gave Gary a beautiful jacket that he later tore up to discipline him. And Cleo also never formed a loving relationship with her son, appearing to mostly side with his stepfather, Nilo, and distancing herself from Gary completely. And he would later say that he couldn't remember ever being hugged by his mother as a child, which is really sad. Though, some reports note that there was a possibility of sexual abuse between them as well, but that is unconfirmed. But that parental rejection would stay with him.
4:14 Speaker 03 And as a young boy, Gary became socially isolated, struggling to connect with other people and preferring to spend time alone. And he preferred animals to people, especially dogs, finding in them the sort of companionship he was never quite able to get at home. And to add injury to insult, Gary suffered major head trauma around age 10, when a folding Murphy bed fell on him, tearing his scalp open. And the resulting surgery required more than 200 stitches, and he spent a significant amount of time in the hospital recovering. And specialists would later note that this type of damage, especially to the frontal lobe, as we've seen in other serial killers, can affect impulse control and emotional regulation.
4:58 Speaker 03 And even more so to children, as these parts of the brain do not fully develop until adulthood. So by his early teens, Gary's home situation had reached a breaking point. And Cleo and Nilo had separated for a bit, but Nilo, his stepfather, would regularly come back around and beg for her back. And one of these times, Gary faced Nilo in a direct confrontation as a result of years of abuse and tension. And he threatened to shoot Nilo if he didn't leave. And Nilo grabbed a mattress and placed it between them, taunting Gary to shoot him. So Gary then shot his stepdad through the mattress with a shotgun. And at this point, he was only 13 to 14 years old.
5:40 Speaker 03 Unfortunately, Nilo survived and chose not to press charges, you know, because he asked him to shoot him. It's just no wonder this kid grew up like fucked up, like my gosh. There's obviously like, I have empathy for the kid and everything. I it does not, in any way, shape or form, make up for the stuff that he did or overshadows the crimes that he committed. He's still today's piece of shit. Um, but for a kid to grow up like that, I can't even imagine. And Cleo chose once again to side with her husband over her son. And then Gary was sent into foster care, living with a neighboring family for a time. So he shot his stepdad because his stepdad told him to, and then they sent him away.
6:24 Speaker 03 I feel like he could have used some, some help from his family and from professional, but what do I know, you know, different time. So Thomas Pearshue, his foster father, took him under his wing. And as a military man like Gary's biological father, Thomas gave him a glimpse of a structured and disciplined life. Later noting that though Gary pushed boundaries sometimes, he didn't see anything outside of what he considered normal teenage behavior. So Thomas spent time with him, taking him fishing and going to see his band play. And Gary supposedly was a decent drummer. And eventually Cleo left her abusive marriage and took Gary back into the household. But by then the damage had already been done and despite the much healthier situation
7:05 Speaker 03 in the Pearshue household, the sense of abandonment and instability from his mother had cemented itself in Gary's mind. And throughout his childhood, those that knew him described Gary as intelligent but unfocused and stubborn. So despite his alleged genius level IQ, some sources say as high as 150, an old friend from school later recounted that he was seen as an underachiever. And by his late teens, Gary had no stable family relationships or strong emotional ties. And he increasingly felt disconnected from the world around him. So in February of 1964, when he was just 17 years old, Gary enlisted in the US Army.
7:46 Speaker 03 And it's unclear exactly how he got in, whether he lied about his age or got parental consent, but he got in nonetheless. And was now placed within a world of structure that he had only gotten a taste of while living in foster care. So at first, he seemed to adapt well. And he completed basic training and allegedly earned his GED while in the service, since he had left high school early to enlist. And he demonstrated that he was a competent soldier, following orders and even receiving attention from his superiors due to his intelligence. So this first enlistment ended without incident on December 2nd, 1965. And the very next day, he re-enlisted for a second time. So his aptitude for the service was noted and he was considered for special forces
8:31 Speaker 03 and assigned to the Davy Crockett Platoon, which was a highly secretive nuclear weapons unit. So during his time abroad stationed in Germany, he met a local woman and married her. And some sources say her name was Ursula, but that's not confirmed. But this was the beginning of a pattern he would repeat throughout his adult life with relationships, fizzling out just as quick as they began. And despite the promising outlook of his current circumstances, something was unraveling beneath the surface, and Gary's mental health began to take a turn for the worst. So by 1967, he started to experience severe psychiatric symptoms, including hearing voices and other symptoms of psychosis. And he would be hospitalized for more than a month as doctors attempted to assess what was wrong with him.
9:16 Speaker 03 And later, psychological evaluations would diagnose him with schizoaffective disorder and antisocial personality disorder. And in the end, the structured military life proved not quite enough to help him handle the issues within that had been growing since his childhood. And the emotional and physical trauma appeared to fully come together during this time. So Gary was no longer fit for service and he was discharged early from the army for unsuitability on July 14th, 1967. Though this is technically still an honorable discharge, the reason was psychiatric due to Hilton's undesirable character traits. And he would later describe his military training as what allowed him to separate
9:59 Speaker 03 killing from morality, which later courts would condemn as offensive to those veterans who still obey the rules of law. So Hilton returned from service as a young man at only 21 years old, and the army had equipped him with a newfound discipline and survival skills, but he was living with untreated mental illness and trauma. But still, he had a new wife and a chance to start his own life outside the bounds of troubled home, foster care, or the military. But regular civilian life didn't seem to suit him. And though it didn't remove his problems, the structure of the army seemed to hold him together more so than he thought. And after leaving, he settled into a pattern of instability with a number of short-lived relationships.
10:43 Speaker 03 So the marriage to his wife from Germany ended abruptly, and he found himself quickly getting married to a woman named Sue in 1969, and they were together for barely two years, divorcing in Florida in 1971. And then he tried again a few years later in August of 1977, when he married Dina Avon-Bow in Georgia. But this marriage fell apart even faster than last, with the divorce happening by May of the following year. And finally, in March 1979, Hilton married one last time to Betty Sue Edwards-Galloway, and she was a security officer at Stone Mountain Park. And their marriage lasted only seven months, ending in October of 1979. And notably, none of these relationships produced children, though some of them brought
11:28 Speaker 03 children in from previous relationships. And allegedly, Hilton actually molested a couple of these children. And this is where my empathy completely dissipates, because he is a fucking monster. And this could be possibly an echo of what may have happened to him in his own childhood. But again, no fucking excuses. Though other accounts demonstrate that he was actually a caring stepdad. And both of these things can be true in different marriages, but nothing is completely confirmed, so I just want to make that clear. So by his mid-30s, Hilton had given up on the idea of marriage. No fucking shit, dude, you failed at that like three, four times. So he would live alone, moving wherever the situation took him.
12:12 Speaker 03 And he worked a series of average jobs, including manual labor and sales. And he even briefly qualified for a Florida chauffeur license, but that was lost after a DUI conviction in January of 1973, and his license was revoked, and he never took steps to reinstate it. So throughout the 80s and 90s, Hilton steadily built himself a criminal record. And though violence wasn't included in these offenses, he was arrested for arson in 1982 and convicted of drug possession and carrying an illegal firearm in 1983. So he cycled through various arrests for theft, fraud, and deception over the next several years. And in 1987, he was charged with theft
12:53 Speaker 03 by deception and marijuana possession. And in 1994, he was accused of operating a fake charity scheme, which led to 21 counts of fraud. That's a new low, where he pleaded guilty and received probation. So time and time again, Hilton managed to avoid serious jail time through probations, keeping him significantly more mobile than a locked cell would. And his former attorney and friend Samuel Riel said that though he had, quote unquote, "some crookedness in him and a couple of screws loose," nothing about his behavior at the time suggested what he would later be known for. In fact, this attorney had a side gig of filmmaking that Hilton would find himself involved with. And it was a
13:36 Speaker 03 low-budget horror film called Deadly Run about a serial killer who abducted women and took them into the woods where he would release and hunt them for sport. Very similar to the serial killer, Robert Hanson, which I will cover soon. And Hilton pitched the idea and even found a remote cabin location in Georgia for filming the murder scenes. And of course, without the later context of his life, nothing about this was immediately alarming, but years later, it's quite prophetic. And with Hilton's eventual arrest, Riel was shocked, saying, quote, "I had no clue whatsoever. He was very nice to me and to everyone I knew, wonderful to animals. I had absolutely no fear of him," unquote. So we're going
14:19 Speaker 03 to see real quick why all of this is horribly ironic. So as he grew into his 50s, Hilton's life became more and more mobile. And through the late 1990s and mid 2000s, he worked on and off as a telemarketer and installation worker for a Georgia home improvement company owned by John Taber. And Taber even allowed him to live on some of his property for a while. And he described Hilton as a bit odd, but a hard worker who generally kept to himself. And love the outdoors. And around this time, Hilton decided that he'd rather live outdoors permanently. So he traveled the southeast in a white Chevrolet Astro van, regularly camping in national forests and remote areas. The red flags are high in the sky.
15:02 Speaker 03 And always by his side, he had his trusty dog, Dandy, an Irish setter and possibly a golden retriever mix. That was his only true family. So come 2007, those who saw him regularly noticed a change in him. And Hilton had been prescribed Ritalin in 2005 to help combat his lessening energy, despite him not having ADD, along with an antidepressant he was taking. So this combination of meds put him in a manic-like state, making him paranoid, irritable, and increasingly hostile. Which is a big L on the doctor's side, again, not making excuses for him, absolutely not, but that sucks.
15:43 Speaker 03 So at this point, he was described as belligerent and difficult to communicate with, likely to unleash rambling accusations and angry outbursts. And his relationship with Taber soon fell apart. And Hilton accused Taber of cheating him out of money and demanded payment in the amount of $10,000, threatening to kill him if he didn't pay up. So Taber got in touch with police and started carrying a gun for protection. And he fired Hilton and cut all ties with him, later saying, quote, "I just can't ever imagine that someone I knew could be the heartless brutal murderer that he appears to be," unquote. So by the end of that year, Hilton was unemployed,
16:23 Speaker 03 living on his own in the wilderness, and more mentally unstable than ever before from pill abuse. And this combination would soon turn deadly. So by 2007, the aforementioned lack of job stability and proper care for mental health pushed Hilton to the point of no return. And he would commit his first murder, that we know of, in his early 60s. So John Davis, or Jack Bryant, and his wife Irene Woods Bryant, ages 80 and 84, were a retired couple from western North Carolina. who loved hiking and they were known to live a very active lifestyle and had been married for almost 60 years. That is so sweet.
17:05 Speaker 03 So they would park their Ford SUV at the start of the trail and set out for another routine day hike in Pisgah National Forest on October 21st, 2007. But unfortunately, they would never return home. And when family members hadn't heard from the Bryants in over two weeks, they became concerned. And the couple was reported missing and a search was started in the woods. And investigators soon found that on the day they disappeared, John had attempted to call 911 from his cellphone. And the call was abruptly ended, most likely due to poor reception, or perhaps something more sinister. And they also found the day after they went missing, someone had used the Bryant's ATM
17:47 Speaker 03 card to withdraw $300 in Duck Town, Tennessee, which was just across the state line. And surveillance footage showed an older white man covering his face and wearing a yellow raincoat. And after several days of looking, searchers found an older woman's body obscured by leaves and debris just off of a remote trail. And the cause of death would be bludgeoning. And the fact that the body had been partially hidden confirmed at least one thing. This was not an accident. And the body was soon identified as Irene. And because she was discovered on federal land, the FBI joined the investigation, offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who could provide information on who killed the Bryants. However, John was still missing.
18:32 Speaker 03 But over three months later, a hunter happened upon some human remains in Nantahala National Forest on February 3rd, 2008, some 20 to 30 miles away from where Irene's body had been found. So a pelvis, skull, and spine were scattered about near a forestry road known as the Switchbacks. And testing confirmed that the remains did in fact belong to John. And the cause of death would be a shot to the head with a 22 caliber weapon. So local authorities and the FBI were on the search for the killer, but he would strike again. So 46-year-old Cheryl Hodges Dunlap was a nurse and Sunday school teacher from Crawfordville,
19:13 Speaker 03 Florida. And on December 1st, 2007, she drove to Leon Sink's geological area in the Appalachia Cola National Forest, as she often did to read and enjoy the company of nature. And this, unfortunately, would be her last time doing so. Because after Cheryl didn't show up for church the next morning, family and friends immediately knew something was wrong. Because she would never miss church without at least letting someone know about it. And on December 3rd, they reported her missing. And her Toyota Camry was found the same day, abandoned along a remote road not far from the forest. And the car had a flat tire, but there didn't appear to be any signs of struggle. And as the search for Cheryl grew more intense, investigators
19:55 Speaker 03 learned that her ATM card was being used, just like the victims before. And between December 2nd and 4th, someone had made five withdrawals in the total of $700 in the Tallahassee area. And surveillance footage of the withdrawals showed a man wearing gloves, a hat, and a mask to hide his identity. And two weeks after her disappearance, a hunter saw some buzzards circling near a forest road on December 15th. And beneath the trees, he made a horrific discovery. It was a headless body lying hidden from the pathway. And the body was also missing its hands. And DNA testing would later confirm that this body was the missing Cheryl. And her death was naturally
20:38 Speaker 03 determined to be a homicide. And the missing head and hands pointed towards an attempt to deny identification. And at this point in time, no public connection had been made to anyone or any sort of serial killings. But the brutality had alarms ringing behind the scenes. So at this point, they had no idea who could have done this. And then there was 24-year-old Meredith Hope Emerson, who was a University of Georgia graduate and a skilled hiker and martial artist. And she decided to hike the Blood Mountain Trail in Vogel State Park in the Chattahoochee National Forest with her dog Ella on New Year's Day 2008. And when Meredith didn't come home that evening, her friends got worried.
21:22 Speaker 03 And she was reported as a missing hiker the following day, and the desperate search began. And her 1995 Chevy Cavalier was found on January 3rd at the parking lot near the start of the trail. And on the trail nearby, they found some of her belongings mixed in with some other items, including her water bottle, a leash for Ella, a hair barrette, a police baton, and dog food scattered about. So the scenes seemed to suggest a sudden interruption rather than an intentional disappearance. And investigators also learned that there had been several attempts to use her ATM card over the days following her disappearance, which was yet another detail pointing towards foul play and a pattern.
22:03 Speaker 03 So as the search for Meredith drew in more publicity, additional hikers began to come forward with important information. Several hikers recall crossing her path that day in addition to a man who seemed to be walking along with her. And the man stood out for a number of reasons. First, he was significantly older than her. And second, like Meredith, he also had a canine companion with him. And two, he carried some high-end hiking gear, and notably, he also had a police baton on him. So clearly, this man seemed to be the last person seen near Meredith. So investigators now had an unidentified subject and were searching hard to bring him in for questioning.
22:44 Speaker 03 And fortunately, Hilton's former employer, John Taber, had been watching the news and saw the coverage on Meredith's disappearance. And when he saw and heard the description of the suspect, he knew. And he immediately recognized him as Gary Hilton, an older man with a dog drifting through the woods. So Taber quickly contacted the authorities and gave them Hilton's name, along with a description of his vehicle and a license plate number. What a goat. So they had enough to publicly label Hilton as a person of interest, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, or the GBI, did so promptly, and investigators were honing in.
23:23 Speaker 03 And on January 4th, a 911 call placed by a witness at a Chevron gas station in Decalb County saying, quote, "The guy you are looking for is cleaning out his van," unquote. So, police rushed to the scene, arriving to find none other than Hilton exactly as described, aggressively cleaning out his Chevy Astro van. And he appeared to be frantically doing so, like he was trying to remove evidence from the vehicle. Very subtle, my guy. So, officers arrested him on the spot. And as investigators examined the van, they saw traces of blood present and that the rear seatbelt had been cut out. And they also found several items. Quote, "Items recovered from the van included clothing, jackets, gloves, camping equipment,
24:07 Speaker 03 duffel bags, two sleeping bags, high-tech boots, a camera, tobacco rolling papers, Hilton's Georgia driver's license, tape, paper, towels, maps, two BB pistols, a book purchased at a Tallahassee bookstore, and dog food," unquote. And when they canvassed the nearby area, they discovered what seemed to be damning evidence thrown into a nearby dumpster. One being Meredith's wallet and identification, and her fleece sweater covered in blood, and the seatbelt cut from the back of Hilton's van. And forensic testing would later confirm that the blood in the van matched Meredith's. And Hilton would be taken into custody and charged with kidnapping with intent to harm.
24:49 Speaker 03 But Meredith was still missing, and time was critical. So if there was any hope to find Meredith still alive, though at this point with his MO, it didn't seem likely, they would have to move quickly. So as news of his arrest began to spread to other states, law enforcement in Florida and North Carolina started to see a pattern. Because there were just too many similarities between Meredith's case, Cheryl Dunlap's murder, and the Bryant's murder to ignore. All involved the wilderness, ATM withdrawals, and an older man who seemed to blend into his surroundings far too well. So cooperation between the states began quickly, sharing notes to connect any dot they possibly could. And the FBI again was involved due to the crimes committed on federal land and crossing
25:33 Speaker 03 state lines. Yet the priority was still on finding Meredith. And even with the evidence mounting against him, Hilton said very little behind bars. So something had to be done to move the situation forward.
25:49 Speaker 00 In deepest jungle, Cartier's panther spies a wandering bird that circles the skies. A lovebird, lost and missing his mate, is far from his pass in lonely state. Dry your tears, now there's a start. Follow my steps to heal your heart. Panther stalks through the leaves with silent grace. Through the power of scent, she finds the trace. Behold, two lovers reunite in the skies. A most precious thrill sparkling in their eyes. Together forever, they shine each day, bound by the beauty of Cartier.
26:32 Speaker 01 Welcome to the 50th Hunger Games.
26:34 Speaker 02 Witness the beginning of the revolution.
26:37 Speaker 01 Hey Mitch, you've been trying to take down these games from the start.
26:39 Speaker 02 Filmed for IMAX.
26:41 Speaker 01 Make them remember you.
26:44 Speaker 02 The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, November 20th, rated PG-13.
26:47 Speaker 03 So Hilton was well aware of the leverage he possessed after his capture. And authorities had very strong evidence that he had abducted and hurt her, but it was unclear if she was still possibly alive. So now with her potentially stranded somewhere and bleeding, every passing hour mattered even more. And this pressure pushed prosecutors to place an offer at his feet. And if he agreed to fully cooperate by confessing and revealing where Meredith was, the state of Georgia would remove the death penalty as a possibility. And Hilton responded with a seemingly unusual request, but one that made sense after understanding his background. Because he asked that his dog, Dandy, be placed in a good home.
27:29 Speaker 03 And they agreed, and the deal was finalized on January 7th. And Hilton led investigators to a remote spot in Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area in North Georgia. And there, hidden beneath the leaves and brush, unfortunately, they discovered Meredith's body. And she had been decapitated. And the discovery sadly confirmed what investigators and her family had already begun to suspect. And Meredith would not be returning home alive. The plea deal had not saved her life, but it had at least recovered her remains and spared her loved ones from uncertainty. And Hilton then gave his detailed confession. On New Year's Day, he had happened upon Meredith and Ella on Blood Mountain.
28:13 Speaker 03 They walked together for a while, or at least in close vicinity, likely due to their shared dog experience. And Hilton eventually lured her away from the main trail and attempted to overtake her. And he was caught off guard by her ability to defend herself, because she was strong and she was very well-trained. And it took a significant effort on his part, but over time, he was able to overpower her and take her captive. And that's when Hilton moved her from campsite to campsite over the next several days while attempting to extract the information of her ATM card from her. And she insisted in every way that she could, even intentionally giving Hilton the wrong PIN numbers, which forced him to keep her alive longer as he repeatedly failed to use
28:58 Speaker 03 her ATM card without the correct PIN. And investigators believe that her resistance, both physically and mentally, were the keys to his capture. And come January 4th, he realized that Meredith was buying too much time and he was unlikely to break through to her. So he decided to kill her that day by repeatedly hitting her in the head with a tire iron. And he then removed her head in an attempt to prevent her identification and hid her body in the forest, saying, quote, "It was hard," unquote, describing the murderer in a disturbingly casual manner. Gary, this is. Quote, "You gotta remember, we had spent several good days together," unquote.
29:40 Speaker 03 So she absolutely was the reason that he was caught and he was unable to harm anyone else. But what a just- Scum of the earth, human being, disgusting. And he also admitted that he could not bring himself to kill her dog. So he thought less of a human being than a dog. But Ella was found in a parking lot some 60-plus miles away and safely returned to her family. And though he had safely secured that he would never face the death penalty in Georgia, investigators and prosecutors in other states were waiting. And they saw that he had begun to cooperate, and they were ready to bring him to trial.
30:23 Speaker 03 So Hilton's first sentencing came together quickly just a few weeks after his arrest. And on January 30th, 2008, he stood before Judge Bonnie Oliver in Dawson County and formally pleaded guilty to the murder, kidnapping, and robbery of Meredith Emerson. And he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility for parole in 30 years. At that point, he would be in his 90s. And this was the maximum sentence that he could receive based on the deal he had made with the state of Georgia. And he expressed little, if any, emotion as his sentence was read. And though devastated, Meredith's family accepted the plea deal, as it guaranteed that Hilton would never be released during his lifetime. But this was only the beginning.
31:07 Speaker 03 Because unlike Georgia, no such plea deal would be reached in Florida. And Hilton unsuccessfully fought against his extradition. And after a few years of pre-trial motions, the murder of Cheryl Dunlap moved to a trial on February 2nd, 2011 in Tallahassee. And prosecutors presented a detailed case as to Hilton's guilt, laying out all of the facts. Because witnesses placed Hilton in the area near where Cheryl disappeared, some saw him digging through her car, later Hilton's bayonet was learned to be the cause of her flat tire, and witnesses described the clothing Hilton was wearing during this time. And surveillance ATM footage captured on December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th shows a man of
31:51 Speaker 03 similar build to Hilton wearing clothing that matched the witness descriptions. Withdrawing the $700 in cash using Cheryl's ATM And forensic evidence also painted a unfavorable picture for Hilton. And a campsite was found and linked to him, and the site had a campfire with human ashes and burnt fragments of skull and finger bones, which was from her head and hands. And cigarette butts recovered at the scene contained Hilton's DNA, and Cheryl's DNA was also found on items recovered from Hilton's van, including two sleeping bags, a duffel bag, boots, and pants. And furthermore, Hilton was overheard telling another inmate that he would reveal the location of the head if he was given a life sentence.
32:36 Speaker 03 God, I hate this man. And even on footage recovered from his own camera, Hilton describes, quote, "hiding unknown items and killing those bitches," unquote. So the jury heard the whole tale as it was documented in court. And on February 15th, 2011, Hilton was found guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and grand theft. And the trial then moved into the penalty phase on February 17th. And the prosecution focused on the brutality of the crime for captivity at his hands for at least two days, up to a week even, and that Cheryl was only one of multiple victims. And the defense presented evidence of abuse he suffered as a child, his struggle with mental illness, and his traumatic brain injury.
33:21 Speaker 03 But it made no difference in the eyes of the jury. And on February 21st, they unanimously recommended the death sentence for Hilton. And his following trial court hearing began April 7th, where Judge James Hackinson ultimately agreed with the jury's recommendation. And the judge formally sentenced Hilton to death in Florida on April 21st for the murder of Cheryl Dunlap. And once again, he showed little emotion as his sentence was spoken, and he would be transferred to Florida's death row the following day. And as mentioned, the murders of John and Irene Bryant in North Carolina were considered a federal offense since they occurred on federal land, and as such, federal authorities took the lead.
34:02 Speaker 03 And in June 2011, a federal grand jury indicted Hilton on five counts, including two counts of first-degree murder. kidnapping robbery and firearms charge and Hilton initially decided to plead not guilty leading the case towards yet another death penalty trial but in March 2012 Hilton had a seeming change of heart and decided to plead guilty to all charges as part of another plea deal to avoid a second death penalty which that doesn't make sense to me you're gonna die anyway but alright whatever at least you have a change of heart I guess and he confessed that he had run into the Bryant's on the trail killed Irene at least one source mentions because
34:42 Speaker 03 it would have been difficult to control both of them and then killed John and he proceeded to force John to give up the PIN for their ATM card and once he had finished using the card he shot John in the head dumping his body in the woods and he would be sentenced to four life sentences and an additional 15 years for robbing the Bryant's ATM card and these life terms were ordered by US District Judge Martin Reindinger to be served consecutively and considering federal life sentences offer no possibility of parole Hilton had just earned himself another several hundred years in prison and if he wasn't already guaranteed to rot in his cell this guaranteed his soul would rot too so with the federal case closed Hilton had been
35:27 Speaker 03 convicted of four murders receiving multiple life sentences from Georgia and the federal level as well as a death sentence from Florida so on the day of his federal sentencing and Tompkins the US Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina said quote our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims and while today's outcome cannot bring back John and Irene Bryant it is our sincere hope that everyone impacted by Hilton's heinous crime can finally have some closure unquote and she also underscored the effort across jurisdictions to make sure Hilton was held accountable for his misdeeds a sentiment that all involved except for maybe Hilton himself or his attorneys share so post death sentence the legal process moved
36:12 Speaker 03 into the most drawn out and technical phase because Hilton's case regarding the murder of Cheryl Dunlap was automatically reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court and his attorneys challenged multiple aspects, arguing that errors made during the trial had not given him his right to a fair sentencing process and among them that certain testimony about his alleged past criminal conduct should not have been allowed and that the court improperly rejected his lack of capacity mitigating factor. Like, nobody cares about your past stuff, you murdered a human being! And in July of 2013, the Florida Supreme Court upheld Hilton's conviction and death sentence, thank God. And they found the evidence of Hilton's guilt was substantial and that
36:55 Speaker 03 the death penalty was in proportion to the brutality of his crime and his multiple murders, noting that the aggravating factors far outweighed the mitigating ones in regards to the meticulous manner in which he carried out Cheryl's murder. Furthermore, that his attempt to destroy evidence showed a degree of cold-bloodedness deserving of death. And though his direct appeal failed, he continued to pursue any avenue he had available to him, eventually finding his way back through the appeals process to the Florida Supreme Court once more in 2021. And this time, his lawyers claimed that his counsel at trial was ineffective at assisting him, particularly in the area of presenting mitigating evidence regarding his abusive
37:38 Speaker 03 childhood, mental health, and brain injuries. And in August of that year, the Florida Supreme Court released a 34-page ruling denying Hilton's appeal yet again, affirming his death sentence. And the court acknowledged his troubled past but ultimately decided that, quote, "The evidence of aggravation in Hilton's case is overwhelming," unquote. And even if the jury had heard more of these supposed mitigating factors, it would not have changed the outcome for him. And they also dismissed his claims that the trial judge ruled in a biased manner or that the trial should have been moved to a different location due to pre-trial publicity. And the court held that Hilton received his fair trial in that, quote, "confidence in
38:20 Speaker 03 the outcome of that penalty phase is not undermined," unquote, "by any new evidence presented." And though the ruling was a rather significant blow, Hilton's attorney Claims that, quote, "The road is not over for Mr. Hilton," unquote. Just let it go. Let him go. All right? And they will be discussing his options either for a rehearing or for filing with the US Supreme Court. But regardless of their endeavors, prosecutors fully intend to make sure he sees his sentence through. And Cheryl's cousin, Gloria Tucker, said in support after the 2021 decision, quote, "I appreciate the ruling affirming the value of Sherri's life," unquote. So Hilton is currently still on death row at Union Correctional Institution in Rayford, Florida,
39:05 Speaker 03 where he has been since his conviction in 2011. And he is now 79 years old and his health has reportedly, boo hoo, declined in the past few years by his own admission, making comments that suggest he doesn't believe that he will live much longer. So a mix of age and standard medical issues coming from extended time spent on death row. And he is among the older inmates living there and his deteriorating health led, at least in part, to his decision to break the silence and speak publicly about his crimes. And though he was dubbed "The National Forest Killer," he never quite seemed to reach the level of fame that some other serial killers do. And this is something that he seems to be very upset about beneath the surface.
39:50 Speaker 03 And he refused to fully admit all of his crimes while appeals were still ongoing. And in particular, he never admitted to the murder of Cheryl Dunleavy. But in April of 2025, he gave Court TV an exclusive interview and as part of their interview with a killer series where he finally confessed to Cheryl's murder on camera.
40:10 Speaker 04 I'm gonna give you a news scoop. I did it. And I'll be glad to tell anyone I did.
40:14 Speaker 03 Just a monster till the end, I tell you what.
40:16 Speaker 04 As I told you before, I'm to the point where I don't care. I don't care. There's nothing they can do to me.
40:20 Speaker 03 And he spoke very matter-of-factly about the murders throughout the interview, further showing his lack of empathy for the victims and their families, and removing any shred of doubt as to his guilt. And he also scoffed at the label "serial killer," laughing them off as "a dime a dozen."
40:39 Speaker 03 This fucking guy. And Hilton often referred to himself as a genius, and in this instance, he described himself as "a whole different breed." "You got caught by using ATM cards, you fucking idiot." And he also said even in his old age and post-convictions, he has an extremely high self-regard. And as many investigators have speculated over the years, it seems unlikely that Hilton's murders start with the confirmed ones from his 60s. Though, difficult as it may be to determine, people have not given up searching for his connections to any other missing persons or murders throughout the southeast US during his many years of traveling. And actually, a Google map has even been created showing his victims and possible victims in an effort to finally solve these cases.
41:24 Speaker 03 But these are some of his potential victims.
41:30 Speaker 00 In deepest jungle, Cartier's panther spies a wandering bird that circles the skies. A lovebird, lost and missing his mate, is far from his path, in lonely state. Dry your tears, now there's a start. Follow my steps to heal your heart. Panther stalks through the leaves with silent grace. Through the power of scent, she finds the trace. Behold, two lovers reunite in the skies, a most precious thrill sparkling in their eyes. Together forever, they shine each day, bound by the beauty of Cartier.
42:13 Speaker 01 Welcome to the 50th Hunger Games!
42:15 Speaker 02 Witness the beginning of the revolution.
42:17 Speaker 01 Hey Mitch, you've been trying to take down these games from Star.
42:20 Speaker 02 Filmed for IMAX.
42:22 Speaker 01 Make them remember you.
42:24 Speaker 02 The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, November 20th, rated PG-13.
42:28 Speaker 03 So before Hilton committed his confirmed murders, many believe that he may have been involved in several other unsolved disappearances and deaths. The first being Judy Smith in 1997. So hikers discovered scattered human bones near a campsite in Pasquey National Forest, September 1997.
42:49 Speaker 03 And these remains were later identified as 50-year-old nurse Judy Smith from Massachusetts. And Judy had disappeared months before during a visit to Philadelphia, hundreds of miles from where her remains would eventually be found. And her body was dismembered and partially buried in an attempt to conceal it in the remote woods. And after Hilton's later arrest, investigators began taking another look at this case as the location and condition of Judy's remains had similarities to Hilton's confirmed crimes. And he has not confessed to Judy's murder, and as of now, there is no physical evidence linking him to the crime. But he is still a suspect, but the case remains open. And the next victim would be Jason Andrew Knapp.
43:32 Speaker 03 Now, Jason Knapp was a 20-year-old student attending Clemson University who vanished in April of 1998. And the last time he was seen was at his apartment in South Carolina. And his white Chevy Beretta was found a week after his disappearance, abandoned at Table Rock State Park near the North Carolina border. But Jason himself was never found despite extensive searches to find him. And he was declared legally dead in 2018. And following Hilton's arrest, investigators once again noticed similarities between Jason's disappearance and Hilton's later-known MO. He went missing near a state park, and Hilton had been known to travel throughout Georgia and the Carolinas during that time period.
44:13 Speaker 03 And again, no physical evidence ties Hilton to the crime, and he has denied any involvement. And next would be Patrice Andress in 2004. So on April 15, 2004, 38-year-old Patrice Tambor Endress disappeared while working at a hair salon that she owned in Forsyth County, Georgia. And her skeletal remains were found 18 months later in the woods of Dawson County, Georgia. And Hilton became a person of interest in this case for a number of reasons. His records show he was stopped for a traffic violation in the area around the time that she went missing. And he was also known to stop by local hair salons around lunchtime, often asking for money. And he was not able to give a verified alibi for the day Patrice went missing. And though other
44:58 Speaker 03 Suspects have been investigated, including a serial killer who falsely confessed. Hilton remains a suspect, and her murder is still unsolved. And next there was Rosanna Milliani in 2005. So Rosanna Milliani was a 26-year-old woman from Miami, and she would disappear while backpacking in western North Carolina in December of 2005. And she had told her family that she was just going to hike in the Appalachian Trail and was last seen at a hotel in Cherokee. And several years later, a store clerk from Bryson City saw Hilton's photo in the news after his crimes had come to light and immediately recognized him. And the clerk had seen Hilton, along with Rosanna, when he sold her a backpack around her disappearance.
45:41 Speaker 03 And sadly, she has also never been found. And considering the positive identification and similarities between the disappearance and his other murders, investigators do believe he may be responsible. But there was no confession and no body, so the case remains open. And then there's Michael Scott Louis in 2007. And only weeks before Hilton's confirmed murders, 27-year-old Michael Scott Louis went missing in Florida. And he was last seen on November 21st, 2007, in the South Daytona area. And two weeks after he vanished, a fisherman found his dismembered remains spread throughout multiple garbage bags in the Tamoka River on December 6th.
46:22 Speaker 03 And though his torso and limbs were found, his head was not. And the location and decapitation put suspicion on Hilton, as he was in the area at the time, and he was known to behead his victims, as we know. So Hilton is not the only current suspect, and more recently, another person of interest, Nancy Tetley, is being investigated, because she killed and dismembered another man in 2018. So the case remains unsolved. But unfortunately, as of right now, no execution date has been made for Hilton, as he continues to go through the appeals process. And if his turn ever arrives, it will likely be through lethal injection, as that is the standard method for capital punishment in Florida.
47:05 Speaker 03 But given the typically slow progression of capital and Hilton's old age, it seems more likely that he will pass before his execution. But either way, Hilton is certain to at least die in prison where he belongs. So rotten hell, you piece of shit. And as always, my heart goes out to the victims. They are what truly matters in all of this. But that is the end of the National Forest Serial Killer. If you guys have any other subjects or people or cults or whatever you want me to deep dive into, let me know down below. I always read the comments. And until then, I will see your beautiful face. All right. Bye.
47:46 Speaker 01 Welcome to the 50th Hunger Games.
47:48 Speaker 05 Witness the beginning of the revolution.
47:51 Speaker 01 Hey Mitch, you've been trying to take down these games from the start.
47:53 Speaker 05 Filmed for IMAX.
47:55 Speaker 01 Make them remember you.
47:58 Speaker 05 The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, November 20th, rated PG-13. Now streaming on Paramount Plus. I'm Dexter Morgan. I've been killing killers for half my life. You gets to you. You're having a midlife crisis. I'm not ready for that. He's back. I'm older. I'm wiser. And sharper than ever. Things are gonna get messy. But if I can't believe in myself, I can't believe in anything. Dexter Resurrection, new season now streaming on the Paramount Plus Premium Plan.
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